Recipe for Disaster
by luvscharlie
Summary: Annabeth cooks for Percy's birthday. She tweaks the recipe. Percy/Annabeth


_**Recipe for Disaster **_**by Luvscharlie**

_**Author's Notes/Warnings:**__There's a little suggestion, but not enough to get it to PG level in my opinion, fluff. Originally written for the prompt of birthday at the pjo_fic_battle community on Live Journal_

* * *

It was hard to top his sixteenth birthday, what with all the death and destruction and potential end of our existence, so Annabeth decided not to try. This year, she thought Percy might appreciate some good old fashioned peace and quiet. A home-cooked cake, blue of course, seventeen perfect candles, just the two of them, alone, cuddling even. So that was Annabeth's plan. And it was a good plan.

Then, in stepped fate to fuck up everything. Wouldn't ya know it.

She bought the ingredients for the cake, and her stepmother allowed her free reign in the kitchen, hurrying her siblings into another room and forbidding them entrance, but Annabeth hadn't failed to note the wary look in her stepmother's eye when she left the kitchen in Annabeth's custody. Seriously, how hard could this be? She'd defeated Titans and Cyclopes and any number of evil minions—a cake would be, well, a piece of cake.

Only it wasn't. Not at all.

You see, wise though she was, following instructions to the letter was a chore for Annabeth. She would see two cups of flour, and automatically her brain would begin to think of ways to make it better. After all, if two cups of flour would make a good cake, add in a bit more and the cake would be phenomenal. And she proceeded to do this with each ingredient. Really, with all the tweaking she had done to that perfectly dull recipe, Percy's cake was destined to be spectacular.

She popped the cake in the oven and rushed upstairs to get ready, sending the rest of the family on their way, so as not to intrude upon she and Percy's special evening.

By the time Percy arrived, bringing with him his favorite kind of pizza the cake was frosted and just waiting for its grand presentation.

* * *

"That was some quality pizza," Percy said after inhaling his fifth slice and belching loudly. Though in fairness, he did at least manage enough manners to excuse himself so Annabeth let it pass without commentary… and the pizza was exceptional so what with it being his birthday and all, she made allowances which would otherwise be unacceptable.

"The pizza was excellent," she agreed. "But now, I have a special surprise for you."

"You do?" Percy asked with a sly wink, reaching under the table to put his hand on her knee.

She slapped it away. "Not that!"

"Buzzkill," Percy grumbled. When grumbling didn't seem to effect her, he moved straight to whining. "Come on, it's _my birthday_."

"I know," she said, rising to take the cake from where she'd hidden it. "Look what I made you… for _your birthday_."

A worried look crossed Percy's face. "You don't cook."

"Well, not often," she agreed. "Mostly, I have better things to do. Worlds to save, Titans to conquer, your sorry butt to pull out of whatever mess you've gotten into that time. But today is a special occasion, so I made an exception."

Percy's smile was tentative, reluctant even. "That was very nice of you," he said, leaning in to get ready and blow out the candles on the bright blue cake which Annabeth was lighting.

"Make a wish," she chided before he blew hard, extinguishing the flames. She cut the cake and handed him the first piece, waiting anxiously for him to take a bite.

"I hope whatever you wished for comes true," she said with a happy sigh.

"Well, we're about to find out," Percy muttered under his breath. He took the first bite, a small one, and looked at Annabeth with a forced smile, swallowing hard and taking a large drink of soda. "Yummy," he said, eyes watering.

"Oh good," she said. "I knew that recipe needed some changes."

"Annabeth," Percy started. "How much did you change the recipe exactly?"

"Oh, a lot. It was dreadfully boring. And I wanted you to have an extra special cake."

"Mmm, I see." Percy took a forkful of cake and held it out to her. "Have a bite, darling."

"Why, thank you." She leaned in and took the proffered bite, and struggled to swallow. "Oh, oh, oh," she said, rushing for a drink. "That was—oh, Percy, I'm sorry. That was just too horrible for words."

Percy pulled her across his lap and kissed her, his tongue sliding against hers, hand tangling in her hair. He kissed her thoroughly, over and over again, until she relaxed against him. "Words are overrated," he said when they finally broke apart. "Kissing's better."

"Happy Birthday, Seaweed Brain."


End file.
